The Future of Cause Marketing: Using the Internet to Help Change the World
Below is a draft of the introduction to the case study I am composing with my colleagues at MediaSauce for the Pledge to End Hunger. I thought I’d share it with you and get your thoughts.
Your world is changing rapidly. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, and countless other online media platforms are bringing people and organizations together in unprecedented ways.
Terms like “Friend” and “Follower” are redefining how corporations, non-profits, and individuals build relationships and interact with each other. It’s happening fast. Some might say too fast. Nonetheless, you stand at the helm and must navigate these waters.
Consumers and donors are rewarding those who are more personal, authentic, and engaging. For corporations and non-profit organizations alike, this offers new opportunities. To move quicker. To connect with wider audiences. To cultivate deeper relationships. To inspire passionate champions.
Those embracing this shift are thriving, while those ignoring it are quickly being left behind. Now is your time!
Invariably, the bright, shiny light of the Internet demands much greater levels of intimacy and immediacy. With this comes the inevitable question every organization must be able to answer with confidence: What are you doing to make a difference?
On its own, cause marketing has been a popular strategy to answer this question and stay relevant. Over the years, these efforts have relied on traditional advertising and marketing channels. More recently, some pioneering campaigns have shown the potential of online and social media.
Just imagine what you can do when you use online media to bring together the passionate advocates and inspiring missions of non-profit causes with the power of corporate brands and refocused advertising budgets.
More impact. More donations. More sales. More champions taking up the cause. More value to your stakeholders and shareholders.
Scott:
Think your intro is spot on.
Our Christmas SPIRIT Foundation Trustees approved (last week) a Social Media strategy … will include a “twestival-like” approach to further its Trees4Troops which provides free, farm-grown Christmas trees to U.S. military families who have someone deployed at the holidays. Be watching for information related to Veterans Day.
Once this strategy is implemented, we may be able to share some lessons from our efforts.
Look forward to your post and case studies.
Steve
“what are you doing to make a difference?” That’s the key question, Scott. I think our job, ultimately, is to challenge everyone we can reach through our networks to answer that question for themselves. Nicely done.
-c
Sign me up.
Steve – congrats on the news! Can’t wait to see the announcement and watch it roll out.
Chris – how did we ever get away from that question?
Ed – deal.
Scott, great post. All of this leads me to question … what are the various “models” that corporations and causes can engage in? Cause marketing, at least in its most rudimentary form, is transactional. Then there are cause branding campaigns. There are employee engagements; Mark Kramer talks about catalytic philanthropy in his article in Stanford Social Innovation Review (www.ssireview.org). What else is out there?
Thank you, would like to see some more structured info thou – stats on various methods, metrix.
Btw, I am currently looking for agencies with a great track record of running international cause marketing programs. If anybody is qualified and interested to discuss it, please Skype me. My ID: Ideamama. Let’s chat.